Chapter 59: This Prince Will Go and Take It Himself!

Chapter 59: This Prince Will Go and Take It Himself!

Xiao Ce had previously been the boss of a listed company.

Recognizing people was a basic skill of his.

As these maidservants began to speak one by one, Xiao Ce roughly understood their situations.

His selection criteria were also very simple: a simple nature, having just arrived here, and most importantly, being untouched.

He selected over twenty more and had the guards take them to Qian Lai.

He wanted Qian Lai to interrogate them and figure out the situation inside this manor.

Although Qian Lai was a shopkeeper, he was likely more than capable of handling this task.

Xiao Ce looked at the ten inexperienced girls who remained.

“Your previous names were all too unpleasant to hear… This Prince will give you new names.”

Just then, Iron Egg, who had been led in by Xiao Ce, gave a snort.

Xiao Ce laughed and said, “See? This Prince named this precious steed himself. How satisfied does he look?”

Da Lei’s face twitched a little as he listened nearby.

Xiao Ce then said to these girls,

“Line up according to your ages, from oldest to youngest.”

These girls lined up by age. Hearing their ages, Xiao Ce was somewhat surprised.

Because the girls of ancient times were already so developed at this age.

This time, Xiao Ce’s naming was very simple. He named them based on the twenty-four solar terms.

There was no special meaning. Later, he planned to train twenty-four maidservants to be his confidantes.

His support system had to be properly arranged.

“You are Lichun, you are Yushui, you are Jingzhe…”

After naming ten of them, the maidservants expressed their thanks one after another.

Xiao Ce said, “Alright, all of you go and get ready, attend to This Prince for a bath and bed…”

That night, Xiao Ce had a good time enjoying himself.

Although these girls were not old, the skills they were supposed to know, they knew without fail.

Xiao Ce asked a few questions; these girls might not know how to read or write.

But they had definitely taken a course on serving men.

…

The next day, Xiao Ce woke up early as usual.

Da Lei was a little surprised that Xiao Ce had risen so early.

“Prince, you worked hard last night. Won’t you rest a little longer?”

Xiao Ce naturally knew what Da Lei meant. He smiled and said, “That level of intensity is nothing to This Prince.”

As he spoke, he went to train as usual.

After running a few laps around the Temporary Palace, Qian Lai came to report.

“Prince, I interrogated all the people you gave me last night. I’ve basically learned the situation of the General’s manor, the Temporary Palace here. I kept a few trustworthy ones. All the other close followers have been arrested.”

Xiao Ce nodded in satisfaction. “Good. This will be This Prince’s future Temporary Palace. Don’t work at the Qian Clan Trading House anymore. Come here and be my chief Steward, how about that?”

Qian Lai wore an expression of deep apprehension. “Reporting to the Prince, this lowly one naturally would be overjoyed… However, firstly, I am from the Qian Clan, and my indenture contract is with the Qian family. Secondly, this lowly one has only ever been a shopkeeper, never a chief Steward… I just fear I may not do well.”

Deep down, Qian Lai was definitely willing. After all, based on the abilities Xiao Ce had shown,

his future was undoubtedly boundless. However, it was still necessary to be polite.

Xiao Ce said to Qian Lai, “No one is born knowing how. When I first had to act like an ancient person, I couldn’t either. Now look, haven’t I adapted just fine?”

Xiao Ce’s words left Qian Lai standing there, stunned.

Clearly, the terms Xiao Ce occasionally came out with, which he had never heard before, left him confused.

Not only was he confused, but he also did not dare respond.

“This Prince says you can do it well, so you can do it well! Unless you are unwilling? As for the Qian Clan side, it’s not a problem. I will send someone to speak with them.”

After hearing this, Qian Lai bowed and said, “Reporting to the Prince, this lowly one is willing.”

“Good. Then go and get things arranged here. Also, investigate the backgrounds of those ten maidservants for me. Then go and recruit some male servants and more maidservants.”

As he spoke, Xiao Ce turned to Da Lei. “Da Lei, tell Xiezhi from the Twelve Fiends to come and help Qian Lai with selecting people.”

Xiezhi was one of the Twelve Fiends. Da Lei said he was an expert in human nature, skilled in interrogation and psychological attacks.

Xiao Ce had also spoken with Xiezhi; he was indeed a very capable person. In modern times, he would be a proper psychology expert.

After giving these orders, Yan Jia arrived.

“Prince, we have made contact with Yanmen City. According to your wishes, we left one thousand garrison troops in Yanmen City, and the rest of the troops are all coming here! They are expected to arrive in the afternoon.”

“Inside Lingxiao City, we have sealed the city gates. No one is allowed to enter or leave. The common people are talking a lot, but they haven’t shown any real reaction. Most of them are Bonded People, after all. As for that group of Turks who wanted to cause trouble, we have arrested them all.”

Yan Jia reported the city’s situation.

After listening, Xiao Ce nodded and then said, “Good! What about the officials of this city? Have them all brought here.”

Yan Jia said to Xiao Ce, “Prince, not just the county magistrate of this city and the various officials, but even the officials from the other nine cities are inside that Rites Hall…”

Only then did Xiao Ce snap out of his thoughts.

“I almost forgot about those people! Since they are all in there, keep them shut in a while longer! Wait until evening. Wait for Nie Bing and the others to arrive. They know more about this area.”

As he spoke, Xiao Ce beckoned to Qian Lai.

Qian Lai approached respectfully.

“Your Qian Clan Trading House is familiar with this area. Send people to spread some news. Say the city is sealed because the King of Northern Desert, personally enfeoffed by the Emperor, has arrived. The King of Northern Desert plans to distribute land to the common people, to let the common people be their own Masters.”

“Then go talk about what happened at Yanmen Pass, and also say that after This Prince arrives, all taxes for the common people will be waived…”

Xiao Ce instructed Qian Lai.

Qian Lai listened and nodded.

Xiao Ce’s thinking was simple: if he wanted sustainable development here, he needed the support of the common people.

His purpose in coming was to let the common people live good lives.

After finishing, Qian Lai went off to work.

Yan Jia asked Xiao Ce, “Prince, how should we deal with the people in the Rites Hall? Should we give them some food?”

Xiao Ce shook his head and said, “No need. Those leeches have sucked enough blood from the common people. Starving them for a few meals won’t kill anyone! First, we need to break their spirit! Right, have you captured the Message Crow Emissaries here?”

Yan Jia nodded and then said to Xiao Ce, “We captured them. Among them, they have close dealings with the Ashina Tribe of the Turkic Kingdom.”

Xiao Ce nodded. “Good. Send a letter to Ashina! Tell him to bring ten million taels of Gold, ten thousand fine steeds, and a million dan of provisions to save his son!”

After hearing this, Yan Jia said to Xiao Ce, “Prince… isn’t that a bit too much? They won’t give it, will they?”

A faint, somewhat wicked smile appeared on Xiao Ce’s face. “This Prince never intended for them to give it! This Prince will go and take it himself!”